Method of mapping bedding interfaces in a permafrost zone of an earth formation by electromagnetic radiation

Claim 1

Method of mapping bedding interfaces of different earth materials within a permafrost Zone of an earth formation by means of an electromagnetic generating and receiving means located at a known geographical location adjacent to the upper surface of said permafrost zone, which comprises: a. irradiating said permafrost zone with electromagnetic energy within a frequency range of 106 to 1011 Hertz by actuation of said electromagnetic generating and receiving means, b. detecting reflections of the electromagnetic energy from at least two interfaces within said permafrost zone, said interfaces forming electromagnetic discontinuities within said permafrost zone, said at least one interface being associated with the upper surface of said permafrost zone, said other interface being associated with the bottom of said permafrost zone, said reflections occurring because of different dielectric constants of said interfaces, c. also detecting reflections from electromagnetic discontinuities in a nonporous, nonfrozen zone immediately beneath said permafrost zone above a selected threshold value, d. recording the time for said electromagnetic energy to travel from substantially said upper and bottom surfaces, respectively, of said permafrost zone as well as from said discontinuities in said nonporous zone so as to provide a map which delineates the locations, depthwise, of said interfaces and said discontinuities within said permafrost and nonporous zones, respectively, e. interpreting the resulting record based on the difference in arrival times of reflection signals indicative of at least the location of the bottom of the permafrost zone and of the later arriving reflection signals of less magnitude, so as to indicate the locations of interfaces within the nonporous, nonfrozen zone beneath the permafrost zone favorable to the accumulation of hydrocarbons thereabout.